processing kodal 400TX: question on developers?

Hi dear community,

 

I'm plenty of 400TX films ready to develop, and I'm not that

familiary with this film. I have to decide what developer to use.

Generally, I would like to get an aceptable grain, so i think i will

skip rodinal.

 

These are my questions:

 

1) Shall I use TMAX devel.? What kind of results will i have? Kodak

says you could use it up to 12 films, is it really true?

 

2) Any experience with rodinal special?

 

3) i was considering to by HC-110? any comment?

 

Thank you and a hug from Rome

If you mean Tri-X film, any of a number of developers will do. TMax developer would work

fine--I've used this combination with good results. Some swear by D76, but I think that

Xtol is my favorite for Tri-X.

 

I have used HC-110 in the past, and like it because it can be stored a long time, but I don't

like the results with Tri-X as much as using Xtol.

 

I've never used Rodinal.

 

Whatever developer you choose, use it once and throw it out. Developer is cheap and you'll

get more consistent results if you do NOT reuse it.

 

Good luck.

I second the recommendation to use dev's as one-shot only. As A&T put it, it's penny wise and pound foolish.

 

What are you looking for in your results? Fine grain? Sharpness?

 

allan

D76 works fine. Xtol is ok but I will not use it because it can be no good and there is no way to tell, long story I refuse to type again.

 

If you mix the D76, allow to cool, and put into small one time use full and sealed glass bottles, it is good for 6 months.

 

Hc110 works, but you don`t get the nice tones of 76. Not real bad, but if you put two next together you can see it.

 

Shoot some practice pics, pull out a few exposures in the dark, develope and print. Adjust as necessary. You should have done this before shooting pics you wanted to keep.

 

I use it undiluted for for 10% less time than Kodak recommends for a condenser enlarger application. Agitate 5 to seven inversions each 30 sec just like Kodak says.

 

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/faqs/faq0034.shtml

 

Well they screw up the website again. They are forever moving things around like the local food store.

 

So its 8 minutes at 68 deg for a diffusion enlarger, 7 1/4 for a condenser.

 

Copy and paste the address.

I know it's not on your list, but Paterson Aculux 2 is a great developer for Tri-X. 10 or 11 minutes at 20C, 4 inversions in 10 seconds every minute.

"because it can be no good and there is no way to tell"

 

First, I have used Xtol that was storeed in empty soda bottles well over a year after mixing.

Second, the reports of "Xtol failure" are overblown and quite old at this points. Third, you

can always test developer very simply by dipping a corner of film emulsion in the

developer in full light (how is Xtol harder to see if it has failed than any other developers?).

And finally, Xtol is really a much better developer than D-76 at this point. To me (IMHO),

you only gain from using Xtol, you don't lose anything.

I have test alliquots of XTOL in both partially full and full test bottles... It was mixed in Oct 04... Next test is due on the 1 year anniversery of the stock solution being mixed... The 3 month, and 6 month, and 9 month, tests gave perfect negatives off the clip roll compared to the negs made the day it was mixed... If the 1 year test is good (no reason for it to not be good according to the tests so far) I will simply use this old batch up on current negatives and forget about the so called "xtol failures"... My opinion based on testing is that KODAK solved it...

 

Cheers ... Denny

Old, wannabe photographer, in Michigan...

Tri-X always looks good develooped in D-76. Since the new emulsion (400TX) has been released, I like the look I'm getting with Rodinal 1:50. Gorgeously grainy, but not overly-grainy (for my taste).

 

Gene